Marine Biotechnology
Marine Biotechnology is a relatively new field
that involves the discovery of materials derived
from marine organisms and inventing methods
for processing these materials into viable commercial products. The world’s waters and oceans, which cover more than three-quarters
of the earth’s surface, account for a major
portion of the earth’s resources. Extensive
research has been done worldwide to better
understand and develop these resources,
including the useful chemical substances
present in the marine environment.
Learn more

Chitin
Chitin is a naturally occurring biopolymer,
the most abundant after cellulose
and its derivatives. It is produced by
fungal systems and by invertebrates, particularly the arthropods (shrimp,
crab, crawfish, lobster, etc.). Chitin is
a modified form of glucose that differs
in two important aspects. Chitin is a
polymer (a molecule made up of a
long chain of identical units), unlike
glucose, which is a monomer (a single
molecular unit). Chitin varies from
glucose in molecular structure, having
an N-acetyl group (NCOCH 3) on the
C2 carbon as opposed to glucose,
which has a hydroxyl group on the C2 carbon. These differences render
chitin insoluble in water, and alter the physical properties of chitin with
respect to glucose. Learn more

Chitosan
Chitosan is a derivative of chitin obtained by treating the chitin in a concentrated sodium hydroxide bath at elevated temperature. The process cleaves the N-acetyl group from the C2 carbon and replaces it with a hydrogen atom. The result is an amine group (NH 2 ), creating a natural cationic polymer, meaning it carries a positive ionic charge when dissolved in acidic solutions. Chitosan is chemically similar to cellulose, a plant fiber, and displays most of the features similar to plant fibers. Chitosan is non-toxic, non-hazardous and biodegradable, making it ideal in many uses involving humans, including food additives, cosmetics, beauty and personal care products, and medical materials. Learn more